Since the inclusion of downloads & streaming into the official UK Chart, the Chart has become much slower than in the 90's-early 2000's period . In the past, the UK chart used to average 12 to 14 new entries in the Top 40, while currently it's 3 or 4 tops.

As a consequence, less & less songs are making it into the chart, therefore it's now harder for a new or established act to make it into the top 40.

 

Here is some of the songs, that in my opinion, deserved to be big hits, yet flopped (didn't reach the top 40) undeservedly:

 

-Madonna - Ghosttown

 

Victim of the ageist radio airplay rule where no artist over 30 gets airplayed (especially female), this amazing ballad by the Queen of Pop could've been an easy top 5 for her if it was released during her heyday.

 

 

-Giorgio Moroder Ftr Kylie Minogue - Right here Right now

 

Another victim of radio boycott is Princess of pop Kylie Minogue who teamed up with legendary disco producer Giorgio Moroder on this amazing classic disco stomper 'Right Here Right Now', expectedly enough, it totally failed to make the UK top 75 while it deserved a place in the top 10 at least....

 

 

- Estelle - Conqueror:

 

This talented UK vocalist has been largely ignored after the release of her one big hit 'American Boy', even though she released some great songs such as the very touching power ballad 'Conqueror'. This song was later used in the soundtrack for US series Empire helping it to become a minor hit over there.

 

 

 

-The Ting Tings - Wrong Club

 

I was truly shocked when this disco pop gem failed to make any impression on the UK public, the song should've been the Ting Tings' return to form after the underperformance of their last album, but this song was totally ignored. Such a shame, since it is in my opinion one of the most instant songs released in the past year.

 

 

 

-Lenny Kravitz - The Chamber

 

Probably his most praised & most commercial song since 'Are you gonna go my way', Lenny Kravitz was also a victim of the ageist rule, even though he looks way younger than his real age of 50. His latest album 'Strut' proved that he's still making amazing music after all these years.

 

 

- Chris Malinchak ft. Mikky Ekko - Stranger

 

The number 1 that never was, 'Stranger' is a funk disco anthem good enough to rival 'Uptown Funk', yet the public didn't take notice. It proves that sometimes the best songs fail.

 

 

- Lights - Up We Go

 

Very talented canadian electropop artist Lights has failed yet to score a massive hit outside of her native Canada, this song was poised to make her an international star. It didn't, but it still is IMHO one of the best songs released during the past few months, not to mention the interesting & sexy video.

 

 

-Will Young - Love Revolution

 

One of the most instant songs to be released recently, Will Young's new single flopped undeservedly even though it should've been another number 1 for him.

 

 

- Charli XCX - Famous

 

Charli XCX is IMO one of the most talented female singers to emerge the past 5 years, her album 'Sucker' is so catchy & fun with so many great punk-influenced pop songs such as 'Famous', but unfortunately this single didn't get the success it deserves.

 

 

 

-Pharrell Williams ftr Daft Punk - Gust of Wind

 

This catchy disco funk song should've been the follow up to 'Happy', instead, it was left as 4th single long after Pharrell's album was released, as a result, it didn't chart.

 

 

-Christina Perri - Burning Gold

 

The first Christina Perri song I actually like, 'Burning Gold' was the 2nd single to be released from her latest album Head or Heart. It didn't do well with the public though, probably due to the fact that it's more uptempo than her Twilight hits.

 

 

-Florrie - Too Young to Remember

 

One of the most talented yet more underrated young UK female singers, Florrie has been releasing amazing pop songs since 2010, but unfortunately didn't manage to achieve any commercial success. 'Too Young to remember' was poised by critics to be her breakthrough single. It failed to do so, but it is IMO one of the catchiest songs to come out this year.

 

 

-Moko -Your Love

 

A modern day classic, 'Your Love' is a pop dance gem by great vocalist Moko. Much influenced by 90's dance music, 'Your Love' could've been an easy top 5 if promoted properly. Such a shame it didn't do well.

 

 

 

Add your underrated songs below, but remember, it has to be songs that didn't reach the official UK top 40.

Edited May 27, 201510 yr by Dark Horse

Sheppard's Geronimo.

 

I just can't at it sliding into the arse end of the top 40 over a year after it should have been absolutely huge.

Moko - Your Love :heart: now that should've been big. If only R1 actually latched onto it then I think it would have gone top 10.

Conor Maynard - Talking About

 

G.R.L. - Lighthouse

 

Ciara - I Bet

 

Anything Tinashe has done

 

:(

Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta (one of the songs of the year :wub:)

Snoop Dogg ft. Charlie Wilson - Peaches N Cream

The Vaccines - Handsome / Dream Lover

Prides - Higher Love

Tove Styrke - Ego

Bleachers & Grimes - Entropy (obviously wasn't gonna chart, but this song gets nowhere near the recognition it deserves :()

Madeon ft. Passion Pit - Pay No Mind

 

Despite making the Top 40 i'd personally say Kanye West's "Only One" and MNEK's "The Rhythm" are pretty underrated too

 

Too early to call "Famous" since its impact week is not until two weeks from now I think

 

But yeah all of the best songs have been given nothing lately *cough cough Conor*

G.R.L- Lighthouse. :heart:

Such a beautiful and inspirational song, deserved to be massive :heart:

Moko - Your Love :heart: now that should've been big. If only R1 actually latched onto it then I think it would have gone top 10.

 

I do like this song, but I don't think its as catchy as Count On Me or her collab with Kove that just premiered. Second the shout outs to King Kunta, Peaches n Cream, 2 On and The Rhythm too - all great songs that underperformed. Two that just scrapped the top 40 that could have been more are Down on My Luck (Vic Mensa) and Shutdown (Skepta).

 

My recommendations for this are:

 

MNEK - Wrote a Song About You

Joel Compass - Girlfriends

Kwabs - Walk - this got to #1 in Germany but did nothing here, why!? Such an uplifting song which loads of people know.

Shystie feat. Jalissa - Stop - such a catchy chorus :wub:

Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj - Touchin, Lovin

Mista Silva - Green Light - solid song which got no promotion. :(

Heavytrackerz feat. Yana Toma - Old Habits - great house song

Rich Gang feat. Young Thug - Lifestyle

Stylo G - Call Mi A Leader - this should have smashed! Great Bob Marley sample and playful lyrics from Stylo, should have gone top 10.

Kid Ink feat. Usher & Tinashe - Body Language

 

Majestic & Jungle 70 - Creeping in the Dark (Armand van Helden Remix)

Omarion feat. Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko - Post to Be - this has still done quite well tbf.

Dr Meaker - Freaks - I thought this could have got a #1. Radio-friendly D&B at its most commercial.

Raleigh Ritchie - The Greatest

Snakehips feat. Kaleem Taylor - Forever (Pt. II)

Shift K3Y - Name and Number - not his best, but could have scrapped top 40 surely?

 

Sorry for the long post, but a lot of music I like never touches the chart. :lol: These songs could have with the correct promotion.

 

Kwabs - Walk - this got to #1 in Germany but did nothing here, why!? Such an uplifting song which loads of people know.

Feels like it was lacking in much hype/airplay when it was first released. I think it could've done well if they'd tried pushing it again before the album release, though it looks like Fight For Love will be the lead single instead (maybe they'll give 'Walk' another try sometime later on?)

 

Forgot about Creeping In The Dark! Pretty infectious track

 

Moko :heart: ~ Shift K3y :snif:

 

Conor Maynard ~ Talking About

Disclosure ~ Bang That

Mr. Probz ~ Nothing Really Matters

Seinabo Sey ~ Younger

The Avener ~ Fade Out Lines

The Chemical Brothers ~ Go

The Prodigy ~ Nasty / The Day Is My Enemy / Wild Frontier

Wilkinson ~ Hopelessly Coping

Also:

 

Joel Compass - Girlfriends

Kid Ink feat. Usher & Tinashe - Body Language

Raleigh Ritchie - The Greatest

 

Pretty much these three plus King Kunta, Lighthouse, Run (Nicole Scherzinger), In Your Arms (Nico & Vinz) and going back a bit from 2014 Empire (Shakira) and Not Giving Up (The Saturdays).

Up We Go is still one of the best songs released in the last few months, would have absolutely made sense as an international pop hit although I was never expecting it too do much. Very underrated though.

 

Wolf Alice - Giant Peach is one I can think of that could have done far better than it did, actually just add every anthemic rock song released in the last year to this, the majority of them underrated as far as the charts go. Halestorm's Apocalyptic might have been huge in the early 00s for example, Bring Me The Horizon's 'Drown' far more than a brief iTunes #1 curiosity, Royal Blood one of the biggest commercial groups as well as the most critically adored.

 

Most of the songs mentioned in this thread would have really benefited the music scene from hitting the top 40 IMO, whether I like them or not, the chart needs new music to thrive and keep things interesting, more music of varying genres doing well encourages innovation and differentiation among new artists. Which the current situation is really not doing to the extent it needs to.

I'm gonna go with Sia's 'Big Girls Cry' and Jessie Ware's 'Champagne Kisses', both could have been huge with more airplay. (Well OK maybe not huge but Top 10 and Top 40 respectively).

Edited May 27, 201510 yr by Mango

Rae Morris - Love Again

 

Everything Everything - Distant Past

Edited May 28, 201510 yr by Iain H

Yeah agreed with Jack in that pretty much anything to do with Tinashe deserved to do better. In particular '2 On', big hit in the US but not much of a hit at all over here? :( There is still chance that 'All Hands On Deck' could become somewhat of a hit, but I highly doubt it so add that too!

 

Ariana Grande - Love Me Harder deserved to be a big top 40 hit as opposed to being a long running top 50 hit. :(

Ella Henderson - Mirror Man {#96 officially, #57 sales alone}

Such a underrated classic

 

It probably WILL flop (though it's looking like it's doing something on iTunes finally), but Famous isn't "out" until 7th of June. So you can't call it a flop yet, as Cody said.

 

100% 'Champagne Kisses' for me. And 'The Night is Still Young' by Nicki Minaj.

If we're talking about Jessie Ware songs that should have done well, my vote goes to 'You and I (Forever)'!

 

I agree that 'Love Me Harder' should have been a hit and is perhaps the main song that's been mentioned that could have been a hit - if only it had Radio 1 support that is. 'One Last Time' was heading in the same direction until it got that boost, from somewhere I've forgotten, and Radio 1 playlisted it and then boosted it up iTunes. Still, 'Love Me Harder' did have an impressive chart run and it'll go Silver before the year is out.

Rae Morris - Love Again

'Under The Shadows' had even more hit potential than 'Love Again', I still can't quite work out why the former wasn't huge.

Edited May 28, 201510 yr by Mango